Utah educators urged to impart social justice

Teachers often focus on giving students knowledge, but emphasis is shifting toward giving them practical experiences to use in the world.

Liberal education is being battled on many fronts these days, and renowned educator and author Marilyn Cochran-Smith told an audience of Utah educators and policymakers Friday that every student is entitled to "enhanced life chances" in addition to learning.

Cochran-Smith was the keynote speaker at the annual Utah Education Policy Forum, where the state's leaders discuss various educational initiatives and push their thoughts and research forward in order to implement policies in the classroom.

"There's always been this tension as far as who should have the resources and who should be able to participate in what classes in schools," said Utah Education Policy Center director Andrea Rorrer. "It's not about the dichotomy of teaching knowledge or social justice, but both, providing equity in excellence while also increasing learning for our children."

Using examples of how teachers across America conquered disparities in their classrooms, Cochran-Smith said teaching social justice is important and "fundamental for all teachers in this diverse democratic nation." Giving students new ideas and unfamiliar experiences is intended to widen their scope of thought and in turn give them a broader view of the world.

"It is important to keep challenging injustices and increasing the possibility for larger perspectives than their own, to give them new ideas to consider," she said, adding that communities need to engage in "hard talks" about real matters in education, coming together to solve the problems.

"Teaching is a profession with certain inalienable responsibilities," Cochran-Smith said. "Teaching for social justice is helping to alleviate the inequities in all parts of society."

With such contested definitions of social justice in society, Rorrer said knowing how to conquer it in the classroom "gives us a vision for all kids rather than a sorting mechanism."

The forum, held at the Wells Fargo Center, included various panel discussions and presentations from teachers and administrators in higher education and public education, further bridging the gaps inevitably caused by the different systems and "promote collaboration and innovation," Rorrer said.

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